With 1,900 of the 3,500 railway cops and 1,300 of the 1,500 Home Guards on election duty, Mumbai's stations are easy targets
With 1,900 of the 3,500 railway cops and 1,300u00a0 of the 1,500 Home Guards on election duty, Mumbai's stations are easy targets
Railway stationsu00a0 are undoubtedly among the most vulnerable terror targets. But this election, when threats are at their peak, they remain unguarded.
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UNGUARDED: No cops at Currey Road station. PIC/VARUN SINGH |
With 1,900 of the 3,500 railway policemen and 1,300 of the 1,500 Home Guards being deployed for election duty, the polls have drained the strength of the railway police force drastically since April 21. Of the remaining policemen, most have to man police stations, leaving very few cops to guard the stations.
Railway Police Commissioner A K Sharma said, "At present, most of our policemen are sent on election duty.
There are very few cops at the railway stations. Most of the remaining force has to stay put at police stations."
Soft targetsWhen asked how soft targets like railway stations were being ignored at such a critical time, Sharma said, "Security during elections is also important. The personnel may be less, but important stations are being taken care of."
The railway stations on the all three lines Harbour, Central and Western will be vulnerable till the evening of April 25.
Bloody history
November 26, 2008: Two terrorists fire at passengers and railway officials at CST, killing more than 50
July 11, 2006: Serial train blasts on Western Railway kill more than 180
March 13, 2003: A blast on a Central Railway train near Mulund station kills at least 12 commuters
